Skirt-hanger.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

R. H. KNIGHT.

SKIRT HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

e iyz.

No. 779,168. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

R. H. KNIGHT SKIRT HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.26. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT GEETQE.

RICHARD H. KNIGHT, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOCHARLES S. BARRELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIRT-HANGER.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,168, dated January3, 1905,

Appliw w filed February 26, 1904. Serial No. 195,325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing in Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Skirt-Hangers,of whichthe following description, in connection with. the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention relates to a garment-hanger especially designed andadapted to be used by ladies as a dress-skirt support or hanger.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficientdevice for the purpose specified.

In accordance with this inventionI employ a supporting-frame composed oftwo members capable of movement toward and from each other to enable thesaid frame to be contracted to permit it to be readily inserted into theskirt and to be expanded to engage the skirt and mount upon the ends ofsaid members conical helixes which offer an extended surface of contactwith said skirt.

The members of the supporting-frame may and preferably will be expandedby a spring, as will be described.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a skirt-hanger embodying this invention, aportion of a skirt being represented by dotted lines; Fig. 2, a rearelevation of the hanger shown inFig. 1, the spring being broken off; andFig. 3, an elevation of the hanger in its contracted position.

Referring to the drawings, 07) represent the members of thesupporting-frame which are movable toward and from each other and mayand preferably will be provided with downwardly and outwardly inclinedportions or arms 0 d, connected to the substantially hori- Zontalportions of the said members by curved end portions 6.

The inclined portions 0 cl have secured to them conical helixes f g, theapices of said cones being uppermost. The horizontal portion of themember I) may be provided with a end of the horizontal portion of themember a. The ends of the spring 70 may and prefer: ably will cross eachother, and substantially at its center said spring may be provided withone or more coils or loops 0, to which a hook 19 may be connected.

The members a b are connected with the spring 7 so that when the springis compressed the ends of the spring are moved away from each other, andthe members a b and the helixes 0d are thereby movedin the oppositedirections and toward each other, as represented in Fig. 3, in whichposition the conical helixes are capable of being easily inserted intothe skirt q, and thereafter the said helixes are firmly engaged withsaid skirt, as represented in Fig. 1, by the expansion of the springwhen the pressure of the hand is released therefrom. The loop h in themember 6 forms a stop to limit the outward movement of said members whendisengaged from the skirt, and the pressure is relieved from the spring,as represented in Fig. 2.

The curved portion eof each member forms an overhanging or projectingshoulder, which serves as a stop to limit the downward movement of thehanger within the skirt.

The conical helixes offer an extended surface for engagement with theskirt, and their conical form serves to prevent the skirt dropping oflfrom the hanger. The conical helixes may have their apices looselyconnected with the supporting-frame, so as to be capable of a limiteddownward movement under the weight of the skirt, if so desired.

I have herein shown one form of device for moving the members of thesupporting-frame in opposite directions; but 1 do not desire to limit myinvention in this respect. Furthermore, I do not desire to limit myinvention to the particular construction of supportingframe hereinshown.

The parts of the hanger herein shown may and preferably will be made ofwire.

It is to be observed thatwhen the conical helixes are in engagement withthe skirt the weight of the latter serves to move the members a boutward, and thereby maintains the conical helixes in firm engagementwith the skirt.

I claim- 1. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-framecomposed of two members, each comprising a substantially horizontalportion and a downwardly-extended portion, conical helixes secured tosaid downwardlyextended portions, and adapted to engage the garment. anda spring provided with crossing ends which are secured to said membersto effect movement of the conical helixes away from each other by themovement of said ends toward each other, substantially as described;

2. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a

supporting-frame composed of two members,

each comprising a substantially horizontal portion and adownwardly-extended portion, conical helixes secured to saiddownwardlyextended portions, and aspring to eifectmovement of saidconical helixes away from each other, substantially as described.

3. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-frame composed oftwo members movable toward and from each other, downwardly-extendedconical helixes secured to said members, and means to move said membersaway from each other, substantially as described.

4. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-frame composed oftwo members movable toward and from each other and provided withdownwardly-extended portions at their outer ends, conical helixessecured to said downwardly-extended portions, and a spring connected tosaid members to effect movement of the same away from each other,substantially as described.

5. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-frame composed oftwo members movable toward and from each other, conical helixes securedto said members and extended at an angle therefrom, and means to movesaid members away from each other, substantially as described.

6. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-frame composed oftwo members,

- comprising the member 6 having the substanment, and a spring havingits ends crossed and connected to said members, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-frame composed oftwo overlapping members movable bodily toward and from each other andprovided at their outer ends with angular projections or portions toextend into the garment, and means to efl'ect movement of said membersaway from each other, substantially as described.

9. In a garment-hanger, in combination, a supporting-frame composed ofoverlapping members movable bodily toward and from each other, andprovided at their outer ends with conical helixes to extend into thegarment, and means to effect movement of said members away from eachother, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RIGHARD H. KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

J AS. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

